


It's got a nice ring to it

by LetMePukeInYourMouthEm



Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: F/F, F/M, Tags Will Probably Change, tw homophobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:27:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24552367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetMePukeInYourMouthEm/pseuds/LetMePukeInYourMouthEm
Summary: Alice is the maid of honor at her mother's wedding, which means she gets the wonderful chance to constantly hear about what's going to happen "when she finds a husband of her own"
Relationships: Alice & Bill (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals), Alice/Deb (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 50





	It's got a nice ring to it

"Don't forget to put on a nice dress, sweetheart," Alice's mother sang from the doorway, catching her off-guard in the middle of a call.

"Oh, hi, Mom," she quickly dropped her phone facedown and turned to force a smile, hoping she hadn't gotten good enough of a view of the screen to see Deb or the little heart next to her name. "Where are we going, if I can ask?" 

"Dinner's ready, dear, and Andrew'll be here any minute now," she frowned, cocking her head slightly to the right. "I thought I told you he was coming over tonight."

When they'd first started dating a little less than a year ago, Alice hadn't really minded that her mother had found another partner. Maybe it would mean she'd finally stop peppering how much she hated her ex-husband into conversations it didn't even remotely belong in (meaning most conversations), even if she knew Alice loved him, and maybe he wouldn't be so bad. 

One of those turned out to be true when she met her mother's boyfriend, Andrew O'Harris. Andrew was a nice guy, though maybe a little too excitable at times, and she was glad he didn't mind that his girlfriend had a daughter, but she still couldn't really form a connection with him. He was trying, but it just seemed like he wanted to replace her father, no matter how much she knew he didn't. She didn't know if she'd ever be comfortable with calling him 'Dad' or 'Stepdad', and they were both fine with 'Andrew' for now. 

Her mother, however, did not stop with the passive-aggressive comments about Bill, and it made Andrew just as uncomfortable as it did Alice. Both had asked her to stop as politely as they could, but she would not listen. That wasn't unusual for her, unfortunately. Alice loved her, but she'd have to be the first (or maybe second, behind her father) to admit that she was stubbornly oblivious, to put it kindly.

"Well, you did, but that that happens so often that I don't really see a reason to dress up. The first impression's already come and gone, you know?"

"Let me put it this way, Alice," she rested a hand on her shoulder as she sat down on the bed next to her. Alice quickly pulled her phone out of reach, just in case. "You'll put on a pretty dress because I want you to, alright?" 

"Of course, Mom," she slowly nodded, trying to figure out what was up. It wasn't news that she could be a little overbearing at times, but she was hiding something - she could tell by the overuse of pet names and cheerful stubbornness. Hopefully, she couldn't tell that Alice was, too. 

"Thank you, honey," she smiled, crossing her legs. "Who were you talking to?"

"Just a friend," she lied, glancing down to her phone again. She wished she wasn't so nosy, one of these days she'd look through her phone and figure out that Deb was so much more than 'just a friend'.

"Anyone I would know?" 

"Yeah, um, you remember Deb? Deb Hannon?" She had introduced her before (as a 'really close friend') and her mom had even let her sleep over once or twice, but she was giving her a blank stare. "Curly brown hair, worn-out flannels, beanies, ripped jeans, septum piercing, vegan," she listed, trying to leave out how handsome and wonderful she was, the faint smell of pot on her clothes that she could only tell was there when she snuggled into her arms, how weightless she felt when she kissed her....

"Oh, right, uh, her. I'm not sure she's a very good influence on you, sweetheart." 

"Why not?" She asked quietly, knowing full well what can of worms she was opening. 

"Well, when I let her sleep over, I couldn't help but notice that she seemed like she wanted to be more than just your friend, if you catch my drift." Well, she'd hit the nail on the head with that one. What she didn't get was that Alice felt the same, and that there wasn't anything wrong with that. "She's just so masculine and brash, and with no interest in boys," she continued, like any part of that was a problem. "Can't you tell there's something different about her?" Alice bit her lip to keep herself from replying with 'yeah, I knew she was special when I first met her' or 'I'm lucky there is' and tugged on the hem of her skirt, trying to find a way to approach this calmly. "Something sinful? I don't know if I want my little girl to spend so much time around someone so irresponsible and unlike God's image." Alice was religious, as were Bill and Andrew, but none of the three were quite as dedicated as her mother was. She would get on Alice's case for doing anything she found 'ungodly', and while she was Christian, she couldn't stand how big a part being LGBT+ played in her mother's vision of everything her daughter shouldn't be. "All I'm saying is that maybe you shouldn't talk to her so much, especially not now that you live here in Clivesdale, don't you think?" 

She couldn't agree less. No one she knew could give her the same love, support, and affection. Deb had been her stability since the divorce, and her hands around her waist were all she needed to feel safe. Her heart skipped a beat every time she smiled at her. Kissing her made her feel like she could fly. Every time she left for Clivesdale, she wished she could have Deb with her, and every time she came back, she never wanted to leave her side. But she couldn't tell her mother that. She was too scared of how she might react if she found out her daughter was dating a girl, much less someone she had just called a 'bad influence', even when if she got to know Deb, she'd see that she was the best part of Alice's life. She couldn't say a word, no matter how much she wished she could, because above anything else, she didn't want to lose her. So she didn't. She just gritted her teeth to keep from screaming and tried to hide her intense discomfort, playing with her hair as a distraction. 

"Alice, dear? Are you alright?" 

"Oh, um, yeah, I'm fine, thanks," she nodded, snapping herself back to reality as she quickly searched for the smoothest way to change the subject without slipping up and pouring her heart out to her in an angry rant. "I'll look through my closet for a nice dress and I'll be downstairs for dinner in a few minutes, okay?" 

"Glad to hear it," she stood up and walked toward the door. "See you then." 

"Bye," she called, waiting until she was out of earshot to bury her face in her pillow and cry.

"Ally, baby, is she gone?" Deb's voice came through the phone, reminding her that she hadn't had the chance to end the call. 

"Yeah," she picked the phone back up and tried to wipe away her tears. "Thank you for keeping quiet, and I'm so, so sorry you had to hear all that. I don't think of you like that at all."

"I mean, I sure as hell hope you don't," she snorted, giving her that handsome smile she could never get enough of. "And I totally get it. I've heard it all before, I know a couple people who say all the same shit. I don't mind it at this point." 

"Oh, Deb, honey, you shouldn't have to-"

"No, no, really, it's fine," she brushed it off. "That's not important. Anyway, wanna hear a funny story real quick?" Alice nodded slightly, not sure where this was going. "When we went on our first date, I told my aunt that it was with my 'boyfriend', 'Allister'."

"Allister's not a bad fake, I'm impressed," she giggled. 

"Thanks," she grinned, giving her that look that told her she wasn't done. "It didn't work, though, because she immediately asked whether I was covering for 'Alice' or 'Allison'." 

"Oh," she paled, worrying that her mother would see through it just as well. "She did?" 

"Yeah, 'cause I forgot that I've met three of her girlfriends over the years," she forced laughter, fiddling with the top button of her flannel. "Can't believe she saw through my master plan like that, I thought it was foolproof. Point is that I know we're not in the exact same boat here, but I th-"

"Alice, dear, he's here," her mother called from downstairs, interrupting someone she hopefully hadn't known was talking. 

"Sorry, honeybee, I've got to go," Alice sighed, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "I'll talk to you later, I promise."

"I understand. I'll try to give you something a little more, uh, assuring later. Have fun, I hope she appreciates the famous 'nice dress'." 

"I hope I pick something she'll like," she muttered, glancing toward the closet. She'd have to change quickly, her mom wasn't exactly the most patient person she knew.

"You'll look pretty in anything, Alice."

"Aww, thank you," she beamed, wishing she had the time to keep talking to her.

"Bye, baby, I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Deb. Goodbye," she waved slightly before ending the call and grabbing a dress from her closet. She put it on as quickly as she could and ran down the stairs, hoping it as well as her hair and makeup were up to standards. "Hi, Andrew," she reached out to shake his hand. 

"It's nice to see you, Alice," he gave her a sunny smile. He was a little dressed up, apparently he had gotten the memo, too. Her mother wasn't the only one trying to keep a secret from her, she could tell he wanted to tell her something. She didn't know whether to feel excited or apprehensive. "How are you tonight?" 

"I've been better, to be honest," she admitted, rocking back and forth slightly on her heels. 

"We'll see about that."

"What?" 

"Just you wait, darling," her mother sang, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "I've already made your plate for you, go ahead and sit." She pulled Alice down into the chair a little more forcefully than she would have liked, adding to her building discomfort. "Now, Andrew, pet," she continued before Alice could say anything, "do you like this dress? What do you think about this color on her?" 

"Excuse me?" She squeaked, trying not to let them read the emotionon on her face. It was just a light pink dress, not too formal, that she was pretty sure he'd seen before. There was nothing too special about it, so there was no reason for him of all people to care.

"Well, I'd say that's up to you two, Nicole, not me."

"And I'd say only half of that is true," Alice muttered, pulling her arm away as gently as possible. "Mom, I'm so sorry if this comes off as rude, but why do you care so much about my dress tonight?" 

"I'm trying to think for the future, dear," she smiled, brushing Alice's hair back out of her eyes. "I could see you wearing something similar on, ahem, another day." 

"Another more special day," Andrew added, clearly getting giddier with every second. 

"Is there something you two want to tell me?" Alice asked tensely, poking her food with her fork.

"Alice, sweetheart," she reached across the table to show her the diamond engagement ring on her finger, "we're getting married!" 

Alice dropped her fork as the world crumbled around her. "What?!" 

"Andrew proposed to me this afternoon, and I couldn't be happier!" Nicole sang, pulling him into a long kiss. 

"Mom, I love you, and I mean this with no disrespect to Andrew, but don't you think this is a little fast?" She squeaked, trying to stay calm. "I know you love each other, and Mom, I know that rushing in like a train is kind of your thing, but you've only been together for a little over eight months, and you've made this..." she stopped herself from saying 'mistake', despite how accurate it might have been. "Um, it's just a very serious decision, and you've been burned before, you know?" 

"Oh, Alice, I know your father wasn't right for me, or, well, right at all," she laughed, not realizing that Alice and Andrew weren't. "But Andrew's special, honey. He loves me, and I want to spend the rest of my life with him." Alice knew what that was like. Maybe it was a little silly to think that way about a high school sweetheart– even though she had been with her partner longer than her mother had been with hers, but that was neither here nor there–, but she loved Deb more than anything. The funny thing is, Nicole knew what that was like, too. That was how she had felt about Bill when they had gotten engaged, and though Andrew clearly did love her a lot, she should have learned the hard way that marriage should be approached seriously and carefully, and that it was best to take it slowly. 

"Alice, I understand that this is a lot to take in, but your mother has something she'd like to ask you," Andrew cleared his throat, seemingly having been brought off cloud nine by the reactions his fiancée was missing. "Nicole?" 

"Alice, sweetheart, would you please be my maid of honor?" 

Alice took a sharp breath and clasped her hands in her lap. That was a tricky decision. On one hand, she loved her and wanted her to be happy. On the other, it didn't seem to click with her mother that the way she had been talking about the two people she loved most wasn't exactly giving her and her emotions the same thought and respect. But this wasn't about Alice. This was Andrew and Nicole's wedding, not hers, and she did seriously care about her, even if she didn't quite know how to properly return the favor. "Of course, Mom, I'd love to."

"Oh, thank you, Alice," she stood up and pulled her into a hug. 

"No problem," she lied through her teeth.

"If there's anyone you'd like to invite, dear, I'm open to suggestion," she offered as she pulled away, brushing Alice's hair behind her ear. 

"Um, I'll think about it," she mumbled, avoiding eye contact. 

"Well, you let me know when you've come to a decision." 

"You got it," she nodded, slowly sinking back into her chair. The room fell silent for a moment, Alice left speechless and the couple already pulling each other into another kiss. She tried to eat something so she wouldn't have to continue the conversation, but she had lost her appetite before she'd come to dinner.

"Alice, dear, maybe this will get you thinking about your own wedding someday," her mother oh-so-subtly dropped as she turned back to her food. "A kind, smart girl as pretty as you should have no problem finding a handsome, charming young man, s-"

"I'm sorry to leave so early, but may I please be excused?" She asked quickly, interrupting her. She didn't have the energy to sit through that speech at the moment.

"Of course you can, Alice," Andrew nodded before her mother could argue. 

"Thank you, good night," she got up and left, the last she heard of the conversation being a gentle murmur from Andrew something along the lines of 'I warned you to be more sensitive about this, dear'. Maybe he understood this more than she thought. She ran upstairs to her bedroom and collapsed into her bed, trying to process everything but finding herself unable to. Boy, did she have a lot to tell Deb and Bill when she got to Hatchetfield tomorrow.


End file.
